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Self-described costume enthusiast and owner of Balloons by Night Moods, Kathy Buell, displays a dragon costume on Oct. 27. She said that the shop offers costumes for men, women and children and that plenty remain available for this weekend's festivities. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)
Self-described costume enthusiast and owner of Balloons by Night Moods, Kathy Buell, displays a dragon costume on Oct. 27. She said that the shop offers costumes for men, women and children and that plenty remain available for this weekend's festivities. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)
Snow and rain are often annoying, but without the right amounts, rivers become too low for good floats and salmon spawning. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)

I Went to the Woods: The two types of climate change

It’s about reusable water bottles, but also energy efficient homes.

Snow and rain are often annoying, but without the right amounts, rivers become too low for good floats and salmon spawning. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)
In May, Yéilk’ Vivian Mork of Planet Alaska organized “Stewards of the Land” a traditional plants symposium in Juneau to share knowledge, passion, and respectful harvesting practices of traditional plants as food and medicine. (Courtesy Photo / Jennifer Nu)

Resilient Peoples & Place: From Metlakatla to Yakutat, first food catalyst fellowship celebrates a summer of six

Program matches six community leaders with capital from the Native American Agriculture Fund.

In May, Yéilk’ Vivian Mork of Planet Alaska organized “Stewards of the Land” a traditional plants symposium in Juneau to share knowledge, passion, and respectful harvesting practices of traditional plants as food and medicine. (Courtesy Photo / Jennifer Nu)
This photo shows a brown-headed cowbird. Adult brown-headed cowbirds in North America practice brood parasitism in which they remove eggs from a host nest and replace them with eggs of their own. (Courtesy Photo / DonaldRMiller Photography, Wikimedia)

On the Trails: Infanticide and egg-destruction

Some regular infanticide and egg-destruction occurs between species.

This photo shows a brown-headed cowbird. Adult brown-headed cowbirds in North America practice brood parasitism in which they remove eggs from a host nest and replace them with eggs of their own. (Courtesy Photo / DonaldRMiller Photography, Wikimedia)
This photo shows a wall of permafrost ice in a bank of the Itkillik River in northern Alaska.(Courtesy Photo / Eva Stephani)

Alaska Science Forum: Far-north permafrost cliff is one of a kind

An amphitheater of frozen ground thaws where a northern river cuts into it, exposing walls of ice.

This photo shows a wall of permafrost ice in a bank of the Itkillik River in northern Alaska.(Courtesy Photo / Eva Stephani)
Mount Juneau, looms above downtown Juneau in this April 2021 photo. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

Slack Tide: Alaskæpœdia — Juneau

Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know About the Last Frontier… And Less: Juneau

Mount Juneau, looms above downtown Juneau in this April 2021 photo. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
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A praying mantis eats the remnants of its mate. In most cases, females that are cannibalistic gain reproductive advantages by laying larger, bigger eggs that survive better than those of non-cannibalistic females. Therefore their deceased mates also gain reproductive advantages.(Oliver Koemmerling / Wikimedia)

On the Trails: Having family for dinner

Cannibalism in nature can be a family affair.

A praying mantis eats the remnants of its mate. In most cases, females that are cannibalistic gain reproductive advantages by laying larger, bigger eggs that survive better than those of non-cannibalistic females. Therefore their deceased mates also gain reproductive advantages.(Oliver Koemmerling / Wikimedia)
Sunset at Beaver Lake. (Courtesy Photo / Michael Humling)

The Salmon State: Bear man of Admiralty Island Allen Hasselborg — and climate change

By Mary Catharine Martin The Salmon State Every day for decades, bear hunter, guide, and early 20th century Southeast Alaska homesteader Allen Hasselborg logged the… Continue reading

Sunset at Beaver Lake. (Courtesy Photo / Michael Humling)
The author photographs one of the numerous bull moose he and his wife saw on an elk hunt in Wyoming. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)

I Went to the Woods: Desired vs. realized success

No elk taken, but it’s nothing to grouse about.

The author photographs one of the numerous bull moose he and his wife saw on an elk hunt in Wyoming. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)
This photo shows gray currents, also called stink currants, Vivian Mork photographer. (Vivian Mork Yeilk’ / For the Capital City Weekly)

Planet Alaska: Picking currants and riding currents

We give respect and thanks to the berries and the birds as we harvest the last of the berries.

This photo shows gray currents, also called stink currants, Vivian Mork photographer. (Vivian Mork Yeilk’ / For the Capital City Weekly)
An Arctic tern carries a capelin, perhaps to a waiting female near a nest site. (Courtesy Photo / Bob Armstrong)

On the Trails: Courtship and mating gifts

Animal courtship often involves more than fancy displays, songs and even gifts.

  • Oct 12, 2021
  • By Mary F. Willson
An Arctic tern carries a capelin, perhaps to a waiting female near a nest site. (Courtesy Photo / Bob Armstrong)
A screenshot of a website created for the American Meteor Society showing reports from Alaska residents about a fireball that exploded above Alaska on Sept. 30, 2021.  The blue arrow is the estimated direction of the fireball. (Screenshot)

Alaska Science Forum: Space rocks streak through the Alaska sky

By Ned Rozell About once every other week for as long as you have been alive, zooming space rocks have penetrated the shell of gases… Continue reading

  • Oct 8, 2021
  • By Ned Rozell
A screenshot of a website created for the American Meteor Society showing reports from Alaska residents about a fireball that exploded above Alaska on Sept. 30, 2021.  The blue arrow is the estimated direction of the fireball. (Screenshot)
Salmonberry leaves of unusual color on one cane; nearby canes bore green leaves.(Courtesy Photo / Mary F. Willson)

On the Trails: Fall colors in our rainforest

Here are a few examples of enjoyable displays of fall colors…

Salmonberry leaves of unusual color on one cane; nearby canes bore green leaves.(Courtesy Photo / Mary F. Willson)
Judy Carmichael, of the Judy Carmichael Trio, greeted well-wishers and autographed merchandise at the Heritage Coffee shop’s downtown location on Oct. 1. She visited Juneau to perform as part of the Juneau Jazz & Classics Fall Festival. (Instagram)
Judy Carmichael, of the Judy Carmichael Trio, greeted well-wishers and autographed merchandise at the Heritage Coffee shop’s downtown location on Oct. 1. She visited Juneau to perform as part of the Juneau Jazz & Classics Fall Festival. (Instagram)
A male sockeye salmon spawns in Bristol Bay. (Courtesy Photo / Jonny Armstrong)

Pride of Bristol Bay: Life of a sockeye

It only took one sockeye to remind of how lucky I am to live in a world with wild salmon

A male sockeye salmon spawns in Bristol Bay. (Courtesy Photo / Jonny Armstrong)
Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire 
The author glasses harsh terrain on a beautiful October day on an unsuccessful hunt in 2015.

I Went to the Woods: The danger of overexposure

Outdoors content isn’t a monolith.

Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire 
The author glasses harsh terrain on a beautiful October day on an unsuccessful hunt in 2015.
Veterans march in Hoonah for the raising of a totem pole honoring Southeast Akaska's Indigenous veterans. The region, and Hoonah in particular, have a high number of veterans per capita. (Courtesy Photo / Elle Weberling)

Resilient Peoples & Place: Healing in Hoonah by honoring Southeast’s Indigenous veterans

A previous version of this article incorrectly identified Louise Kane as Stanley “Steamie” Thompson’s mother. Kane was Thompson’s grandmother. The article has been updated to… Continue reading

Veterans march in Hoonah for the raising of a totem pole honoring Southeast Akaska's Indigenous veterans. The region, and Hoonah in particular, have a high number of veterans per capita. (Courtesy Photo / Elle Weberling)
This photo shows a common loon carved by artist Matt Robus for the exhibit “Birds of Wood." It opens Friday at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center for First Friday. (Courtesy Photo)
This photo shows a common loon carved by artist Matt Robus for the exhibit “Birds of Wood." It opens Friday at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center for First Friday. (Courtesy Photo)
This photo shows the colors of deciduous trees and bushes on the upper Delta River in Interior Alaska. (Courtesy Photo / Ned Rozell)

Alaska Science Forum: The season of senescence is upon us

Trees and other plants are simply shedding what no longer suits them.

This photo shows the colors of deciduous trees and bushes on the upper Delta River in Interior Alaska. (Courtesy Photo / Ned Rozell)